Profile Evaluation

Question

Hi,
Could anyone please look at my profile and let me know my prospect for getting accepted in top B-schools in US/Canada?

Nationality: INDIAN
Age: 27
Gender: Male
GMAT Score: 680 (target is around 730-740) 
Education:
B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from NIT Jaipur, India
CGPA: 8.8/10
10th: 90.2 %
12th: 95 %
Work Experience: I am working as an Analog Engineer (TEST) in one of the world best chip (Integrated Circuit) making company after getting placed in college. I consider myself more of techie than finance/marketing guy and love to solve problems with the help of technology.

Why MBA? Though till now I have spent much of my time working on designing circuits, I really want to explore Entrepreneurship after MBA. The main reason I want to pursue MBA is that I lack core skills which is required for successful startup.
Please do let me know top universities which I should aim for.
Also, please help me with the areas on which I should work to improve myself.

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Manu1993 , the details provided are a bit sketchy. So here are a few thoughts and questions on your profile evaluation:
 
  The NIT pedigree helps grab instant attention and the healthy GPA will further benefit you. The academic arc is currently being weakened by the GMAT score since one can usually add 20-30 points to a given school's average, to get a sense of the Indian GMAT average. When is your retake (?) planned? See here for   average GMAT scores   and push accordingly.  
  The professional profile is tough to evaluate. While brand association helps, testing as a role is usually tough to stand out in. Schools would want to understand evidence of relative performance, skills gained and differentiation achieved therein. Have you had faster than average career trajectory? What's been the business (read $$) impact of your work? How do you stand out among your peer groups? Think hard and deep about these. 
  While bschools will definitely help you understand the mechanics of business as well as entrepreneurship, that alone and an interest may not be sufficient to convince the adcoms. They would want to understand if you've really thought this through and know what it takes. The post-MBA planning is critical and the basic foundation of your entire application. Here are the   top MBA schools for Entrepreneurship  .  
  Bschools also   value ECs  . Anything of note here? Especially after college?

Hope this sparks the right thoughts for you and pushes you towards clarity.

Cheers,

Nikhil · Answer

I have moved this request to the "Ask Admissions Consultants" forum.

Manu1993 · Answer

MG4MBACrystalBall 
Hi Manish, 
Really thankful for your quick and valuable response. Your response compelled me to think deep down, and I am really sorry for not putting enough details. I also went through articles which you have provided. It’s very Informative and well articulated.

Please find my answers below:

a.The NIT pedigree helps grab instant attention and the healthy GPA will further benefit you. The academic arc is currently being weakened by the GMAT score since one can usually add 20-30 points to a given school's average, to get a sense of the Indian GMAT average. When is your retake (?) planned? See here for average GMAT scores and push accordingly.

I totally agree with you on GMAT part and I am working on my verbal to improve it. Till now I haven’t taken any dates as I still need little bit more time to work on myself.

b. The professional profile is tough to evaluate. While brand association helps, testing as a role is usually tough to stand out in. Schools would want to understand evidence of relative performance, skills gained and differentiation achieved therein. Have you had faster than average career trajectory? What's been the business (read $$) impact of your work? How do you stand out among your peer groups? Think hard and deep about these.

Regarding my Professional Profile: Basically, people may misunderstood this profile with generic testing profile but in electronic industry, this profile is one of the important part of whole chip development.

Just to provide little bit brief: Chip Testing is one of the major component of total chip cost (>10 %). We as test engineer innovate method to reduce this cost which directly impact total chip cost. Our work involves designing circuit (just like circuits in iPhone or in Electric Car ), evaluating those circuits and then finally deploying them to ensure quality of each and every chip which is getting released from company. So, in totally, its much more of Research and development work rather than just testing.

Also, I am associated with Company whose employee has developed first IC. (I just don’t want to name my company).

As Analog Engineer, whatever skill I have gained is more of RnD nature rather than management.

c. While bschools will definitely help you understand the mechanics of business as well as entrepreneurship, that alone and an interest may not be sufficient to convince the adcoms. They would want to understand if you've really thought this through and know what it takes. The post-MBA planning is critical and the basic foundation of your entire application. Here are the top MBA schools for Entrepreneurship.

Truly speaking, I don’t have enough experience in Entrepreneurship, but I really want to pursue MBA with Entrepreneurship as a goal. Also, I am not doing MBA for changing my field or planning to join company in other field post MBA. I will always be in this field : Electrical and electronics. It’s not because I don’t want to waste my professional experience. Its just because this is what I love to do. 
Just to addon: I have previously worked on few ideas which can have greater impact on society, but I genuinely feel that I lack skills for successful startups. That’s why I am focusing on developing myself, and I feel that MBA will surely help me with this.

d. Bschools also value ECs. Anything of note here? Especially after college?

I have worked in CSR activities in company which involves going to remote areas and distributing accessories in school. 
I have also taught Basic computer in government school after coming to Bangalore for few months. But I was not associated with any NGO. I did it just because of self satisfaction. 
I have also taught Mathematics to children in government school during my college days.

Thanks again and eagerly waiting for your feedback. 
Regards
Manu

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Manu1993 , if you are targeting the 2021 intake, you'll have to start work on your applications in parallel to GMAT prep so plan accordingly.

I am aware of the testing role as we've worked with candidates with similar profile in the past. But you already answered the conundrum yourself - it's easily misunderstood. THAT is exactly what you need to guard against.

While your broad motivation is ok, you will need to really think through the post-MBA goals pitch there.

The CSR and other efforts will help - make sure to bring those out.

Do feel free to reach out directly for any other help.

Manu1993 · Answer

MG4MBACrystalBall 
Hi Nitish, is there any way to setup call with MBA Crystal team for consultation.

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

Hi Nitish, is there any way to setup call with MBA Crystal team for consultation. 
 Manu1993 , you can drop us an email with a resume and other details (id in signature), and we can take it from there.

Profile Evaluation

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards